Southwestern Deserts

March, 2007
Regional Report

Shows & Events

Tree Selection and Placement
The selection and placement of trees is an important landscape decision. Award-winning landscape designer Carrie Nimmer will present examples of beautiful, desert-adapted trees to help you create a shady yard and avoid common mistakes. Sponsored by the City of Glendale (Arizona) Water Conservation Office and held in the Auditorium at the Glendale Main Library, 5959 W. Brown St., from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 20. Free, but call (623) 930-3760 to register.

Clever Gardening Technique

Attract Birds with Nesting Materials
Birds will soon be foraging for nesting materials. Provide a stack of goodies to encourage them to visit, and perhaps even build in one of your trees or shrubs. Instead of filling a hanging wire suet basket with suet, I stuff it with nest-building goodies and then hang it in a visible location. I can unobtrusively watch birds visit to grab the fillings for their nest. The Aububon Society recommends staying away from fabric, yarn, and similar materials that hold moisture and can increase the danger of respiratory diseases among baby birds. Instead, provide straw, hair, and other non-absorbent materials.